E-group messages Ethiopia

Message: 4721

From: amfaa@...

Received: Do Aug 04, 2005 7:16

Subject: tax credit & agency fees

SueAnn:

We can only speak for our agency - from 5/95 to now (8/05) we have raised our total Ethiopian adoption fee from $5,000 to $6,500 - there are no planned increases.  Our total Liberian adoption fee has always been $4,000.  Fees for a 2nd child, adopted at the same time, are half.  Our escort fee has always been $1,500 for one or two children.  Our foster care fees have always been $200 a month for a child needing formula or $175 a month for a child not in need of formula.

We work very hard to keep our fees as low as possible to allow more families to adopt from Africa. 

We believe it is fortunate that families may be able to receive an increase in the tax subsidy - we do not believe that means an agency should take advantage of a possible subsidy increase to then increase agency fees.  We encourage all families to contact their senators and congress people ASAP to ask them to vote yes on the increase in the adoption tax credit.  It is win/win situation to help families and children.

Cheryl Carter-Shotts

Americans for African Adoptions, Inc.

www.africanadoptions.org -old but essentially accurate website

Message: 8121 From: amfaa@... Received: Mi Dez 14, 2005 2:53 

Subject: Re: Do travel times vary by agency? - response

I do not understand how anyone (now two people) believe that I was saying every orphaned child in Ethiopia will be placed - the opposite, I was saying that placing babies and toddlers in weeks while older children wait is something I do not feel comfortable about.  I am not comfortable when there is a list of waiting families for babies and toddlers and there is a list of waiting older children, sibling groups and handicapped children.  Of course not all the children will find a family but the way things are going the babies and toddlers certainly will not have to wait as agencies "find" little ones for waiting families and new agencies decide Ethiopia is a good place to go to "find" babies and toddlers to place - often at high fees.

And based on the calls we receive, it appears that families have gotten the idea there is an "Ethiopian Country Fee" - no such thing exists - we've been working in Ethiopia for 19 years, there is NO country fee and there never has been one.

Cheryl Carter-Shotts

Americans for African Adoptions, Inc.

www.africanadoptions.org -old but essentially accurate website